Source: Radio New Zealand
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ACT has voiced strong objections to the looming ban on greyhound racing, saying breeders, owners, and venues deserve compensation and more time.
But it has yet to decide whether it will completely pull its support for the legislation at its second reading. The bill – in the name of Racing Minister Winston Peters – passed its first reading in November with unanimous support.
The ACT party filed its dissenting view in a report published on Friday by a select committee considering the plan to shut down the sport by August.
In its contribution, ACT said it was “not convinced” the threshold had been met for banning a legal industry, saying such action should be a “last resort” only.
It said a longer transition should have been considered, noting that rehoming about 1600 greyhounds would take significant time and rushing the process would harm the owners, trainers and dogs.
ACT also called for “a clear compensation regime” for those who would lose their livelihoods and said the costs to rehome the greyhounds should be funded fully by the Crown.
Initially, the legislation said those costs would be met from the assets held by Greyhound Racing New Zealand, almost $16 million, with any amount left over given to other racing codes.
MPs at select committee agreed to change that so any leftover funds were returned to industry participants.
Speaking to RNZ, ACT MP Cameron Luxton said that was an improvement, but still not good enough.
He said thousands of “good hard-working salt-of-the-earth New Zealanders” were having their lawful livelihoods taken away from them through no fault of their own.
ACT MP Cameron Luxton. VNP / Phil Smith
Luxton said the government should “at the very least” set up a compensation scheme like the Labour-NZ First coalition did when it banned and confiscated some firearms.
“We’ve listened to a community that’s been misunderstood by Wellington. They’re getting a raw deal. Their property rights have been disregarded, and someone needs to stick up for them.”
Asked whether ACT would therefore vote against the bill at its second reading, Luxton said the caucus had yet to discuss that or whether it might invoke the coalition’s agree-to-disagree clause.
“It is a bit of a moot point when you consider that the bill’s got everyone in Parliament voting for it,” he said.
“I can’t give you a definite, but what I really want to do is make sure that the people who are being affected by this are heard… that they’re represented… and we work on a result that is fair to the people who are having their industry shut down and their community broken up.
The select committee – which also included representatives from National, Labour and the Greens – also agreed the legislation should be amended to allow TAB to keep taking bets on greyhound races outside New Zealand.
The rationale was that revenue could go towards the cost of winding down the industry, with a mandatory review to later consider whether that should continue.
Focus remains on ‘smooth and responsible’ transition -Peters
In a separate statement, Peters said everybody, including industry representatives, had had the opportunity to have their say through the select committee process.
He said the government remained focused on a “smooth and responsible transition” with planning to continue over the coming months, focused on ensuring fair outcomes for both people and animals.
Peters said the transition plan included wellbeing, mental health and re-training support for industry workers, as well as assistance from animal welfare organisations in rehoming the dogs.
A spokesperson for Peters said he had nothing to add on ACT’s minority position.
Peters announced the ban on greyhound racing in late 2024.
During his first reading speech last year, Peters told Parliament the industry had lost its social licence both at home and around the world.
“This decision was not taken lightly,” he said. “However, it was considered that the rates of dogs being seriously injured remained too high and the improvements made were not significant enough.”
Animal activists have long called for action after numerous reviews of the sport sounded alarm about animal welfare practices.
In 2021, former sports minister Grant Robertson put the industry “formally on notice” after a report found the industry had failed to adequately improve animal welfare systems.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
